Master of Science Program

Masters' Hooding 2014

OLS Master of Science

The Master of Science in the Department of Organizational Leadership and Supervision (OLS) prepares students for careers in human resource management and for leadership positions at all levels within organizations.

The human resources option fills a need for individuals who want to understand the theory as well as the practice of HR. Increasingly, organizations are depending on their employees to provide a competitive edge as they face global competition, and the human resources function is integral in that endeavor. This means that the HR staff must be more innovative, more strategic, and more sophisticated than ever before. Students in the HR option will learn how to contribute to organizational success by hiring better performers and managing them more effectively.

The leadership option responds to increasing interest in the study and practice of leadership as a discipline. Organizations need effective leaders at all levels as they face a global marketplace and a more diverse and rapidly changing society. The leadership option responds to this need by providing the theory, skills, and action-oriented perspective required to be an effective leader in today's organizations.

Degree Information

The M.S. in organizational leadership and supervision is a 33 credit hour program composed of 15 credit hours of core requirements, followed by 12 credit hours in either the leadership or the human resources option, and 6 credit hours in additional requirements of research.

The program is founded on objectives common to both the leadership and human resources options. In the core courses, students will enhance their ability to:

understand the complexity and interrelated nature of organizational phenomena